Adjustable reclining chair



March 20, 1956 D. M. ERSKINE 2,738,333

ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR Filed May 21, 1953 Unitid Stars PatentO 2,738,833 ADJUSTABLE RECLIN'INYGI CHAIR Don M. Erskine, Tab, Ind. Application May 21, i953, Serial No. 356,451

5 Claims. 01. 155-452 The present invention rleates to reclining chairs having vertically adjustable backs.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved reclining chair having a vertically swingable back which is automatically supported against downward movement in any angular attitude within its total range of adjust- *ment, which. may extend from a vertical to a horizontal position. t v. I

A more specific object is to provide an improved reclining chair having a vertically swingable back that is automatically supported in any inclined position within its range of adjustment by high intensity frictional forces lowing description of the exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side view of an adjustable reclining chair embodying the invention, the chair back being shown in horizontal position and illustrated in phantom in vertical position; 7

Fig. 2 is a top view of the chair, certain elements being broken away and the back cushion being removed for clearness in illustration; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view taken generally along line 3-3 of Fig.1, certain parts being broken away for clearness.

12 pivotally mounted on a stationary main frame 14 having suitable seating means 16ithereo n disposed in front of the back. As shown, the seating means 16 is padded by a cushion 18.

The main frame 14 comprises two similar side frames 20, each fashioned from a single length of aluminum tubing or the like. 20, a length of tubing forms a seat rail 22, an inclined support leg 24 extending downwardly from the rear end of the rail, a slightly arched runner 28 doubled back under the rail 22 from the lower end of the leg, a support 30 extending upwardly from the runner across the forward end of the seat rail in joining relation thereto, an arm rest 34 running rearwardly .over the seat rail, and a rear arm rest support 36 turned downwardly from the arm rest and joining with the inclined leg 24. v

Positioned in opposed, spaced relation to eachother, the side frames are connected at their forward ends by a cross rail 38 fixed to the side frames at the general level of the cushion rails 22. Rearwardly of the cross rail 38 a series of spaced cushion support rails 40 ex- The chair 10 forming the illustrated embodiment of the'invention comprises a vertically adjustable backrest As shaped into one of the side frames- 2 ,738,833 Patented; Mar; 20, 1 956 tend between the seat to'form' the previously mentioned seating means 16.-

The adjustable back 12 comprises a rectangular frame formed by a U-shaped tubular member 42 which runs across the top and down ;opposite sides of the back to join with'a tubular cross bar-44. Spaced rods 46 ex tend between the cross bar 44 and the opposite section of the tubular member 42 to support a cushion 48 nested within the back frame. j t

The cross bar 44 is pivotally connected at opposite 1 ends 49 to the respective seat rails 22 near the rear of the seating. means 16 to swingably support the back 12 on the main frame 14;

The back 12 is automatically supported in any inclined position within a wide angular range of adjustment by the powerful toggle action of two elongated frictional snubbersSt) pivoted'at 51 to the respective legs 53 of the back frame member 42 to enage the downwardly turned arm rest supports 36. As adapted to coact with the snubbers 50, the arm rest supports 36 are made arcuate in a shape, having centers of curvature near the pivotal back supports 49. 7

Inthe preferred construction shown, each of the snubbers 50 comprises an elongated barrel 52 extending outwardly from its pivotal connection 51 to the contiguous 1 leg 53 located between the adjacent back support pivot 49 and the arm rest support 36 disposed alongside the leg. Asocket 54 formed in the outer end of the barrel 52 receives a protruding friction member 56, preferably formed of rubber.

Disposed in a rearwardly inclined attitude from its support leg 53, each snubber 50 has a length, measured from. itspiv otal support 51 to the outer end of its frictionmember 56, somewhat greater than the distance between its pivotal support to the coacting arm rest support 36. Biasing springs 58, coiled about the respective snub-.

ber pivots 51 and'anchored at opposite ends to the back frame legs 53 and the snubbers 50, swing the latter forwardly engaging the friction members 56 with the arm rest supports 36. i y

The springs 58 are of only moderate strength. Thus, the frictional forces between the snubbers 50 and the arm rests 36 induced directly by the action of the springs are relatively light. For this reason, the snubbers 50 impose. virtually no restraint on the free upward movement of the back 12 to any desired position.

In any angular position of adjustment, the back 12 is automatically locked against downward movement by intensified frictional forces of the snubbers 50 on the members 36 produced by a toggle action of the snubbers and the'legs 53 of theback frame induced by the weight of the back itself. Moreover, the intensity of the frictional locking forces is increased by any added downward force on the back.

It should be pointed out that theyieldability of the rubber friction members 56 which support the back 12 against downward movement provides a certain resiliency in the back. i

A release ball 60 extends across the rear side of the back 12 to connect with the two snubbers 50, opposite ends of the bail, in this instance, merging into the structure of the snubber barrels 52. Manual force exerted downwardly on the'bail 60 acts against the springs 58 to slacken the'frictional contact between the snubbers 50 and the arm supports 36 sufiiciently to permit downward It will be appreciated that if the bail 60- is released for any reason the spring biased snubbers 50 will automatically operate to terminate downward movement of the back 12 thus preventing it from dropping out of control.

Lowering of the back 12 all the way to the horizontal position, shown .in Fig. 3, is provided for by the downward inclination of the rear support legs 24 on the support frame 14 which afiord clearance for the snubbers 50.

It will be appreciated that the utilization of the arm rest supports 36 as anchor members for the back 12 simplifies the overall design of the chair, giving it a pleasing appearance as well as adapting it-for economical manufacture. I

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will'be apparent that numerous variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. I therefore desire, by the following claims, to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

I claim:

1. An adjustable reclining chair comprising, in combination, a stationary frame having seating means thereon, a back rest, a pivotal mount for said back rest on said frame, arm rests on said frame, two rcar arm rest supports on opposite sides of said back rest'curving downwardly in radially spaced relation to the pivotal back rest mount, two elongated snubbers, means pivctally supporting the snubbers on opposite sides of said back rest between said pivotai mount therefor and said respective arm rest supports, a frictional member on the outer end of each of said snubbers; said snubbers each having a length, measured from the frictional member thereon to the pivotal support therefor, somewhat greater than the shortest distance from the pivotal snubber support to the adjacent arm rest support; said snubbers being inclined rearwardly from said back rest, biasing means connected between said back rest and said snubbers for urging the latter toward alignment with said back rest to engage said snubber friction members with said arm rest supports to automatically support said back rest against downward movement in any inclined position within its total range of adjustment, and operating means for simultaneously disengaging said snubbers from said arm rest supports to permit lowering of said back rest.

2. In an adjustable reclining chair, the combination of a support frame having seating means and arm rests thereon, a back member pivoted to said frame near the rear of said seating means, rear arm rest supports extending rearwardly and downwardly from said arm rests in radially spaced relation to the pivotal connection of said back member to said frame, a pair of elongated snubbers pivoted to opposite sides of said back member in radially spaced relation to the pivotal frame connection of said back member, each of said snubbers having a yieldable friction member in the outer end thereof, biasing means for swinging said snubbers toward said respective arm rest supports to engage said friction members thereof with the latter to automatically support said back member against downward swinging movement, and releasing means connected to both snubbers for adjusting said back member downwardly, said snubbers being automatically reengaged with said arm supports by said biasing means upon release of said releasing means.

3. An adjustable reclining chair comprising, in combination, a stationary frame having seating means thereon, a back rest, a pivotal mount on said frame supporting said back rest for vertical swinging movement thereon, a support member fixed to said frame and defining a curving frictional surface located at one side of said back rest and radially spaced from said pivotal mount therefor, an elongated snubber, means supporting said snubber on said back rest on said one side thereof in spaced relation to said back rest mount, a friction member on the outer end of said snubber, said snubber having an effective length measured from the pivotal support therefor to the friction member thereon greater than the shortest distance from the pivotal snubber support to said support member friction surface, and means biasing said snubber toward said support member to engage said snubber friction member with said friction surface to hold said back rest against downward movement in any angular position within its total range of adjustment.

4. An adjustable reclining chair comprising, in combination, a stationary support frame having seating means thereon, a back rest, a pivotal support on said frame supporting said back rest for vertical swinging movement thereon, a support member fixed to said frame and defining an elongated unbroken friction surface extending alongside said back rest in spaced relation to the pivotal frame support therefor, a snubber pivoted to said back rest for swinging movement toward and away from said friction surface, and said snubber having friction means thereon engageable with said friction surface to hold said back rest against downward movement in any angular position within its total range of vertical adjustment.

5. An adjustable reclining chair comprising, in combination, a stationary support frame having seating means thereon and support legs inclined downwardly from the rear of the seating means, a back rest, a mount on said frame at the rear of said seating means pivotally supporting said back rest for vertical adjustment, arm rests on said frame, rear arm supports curving downwardly from said arm rests and attached to said respective legs, an elongated snubber, a support on said back rest spaced from the pivotal mount therefor and supporting said snubber for vertical swinging movement toward the adjacent arm rest support, and said snubber having a friction member thereon engageable with the adjacent arm rest support to hold the back rest in any angular attitude ranging from a vertical to a horizontal position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 399,049 Keller Mar. 5, 1889 1,214,701 Mernyk Feb. 6, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS 67,709 Norway Apr. 11, 1944 615,049 Germany June 29, 1935 722,744 France Jan. 4, 1932 

